Adjustable drushes



June 19, 1956 J. KLUGMANN 2,750,616

ADJUSTABLE BRUSHES Filed June 15, 1951 ADJUSTABLE BRUSHES Julius Klugmanu, New York, N. Y.

Application June 15, 1951, Serial No. 231,869

1' Claim. (Cl. 15-144) This invention relates to brushes and, more particularly, to brushes used by artists, manicurists and similar persons.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide means affording adjustment of the head of the brush relative to the handle so as to enable a person using the brush to reach corners and edges of an article to be painted which are not readily accessible.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide means affording the employment of the brush without the use of guide accessories, very often required when circular or similar configurations are to be outlined or painted.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide means facilitating the movement of the head of the brush to different angular positions relative to the handle of the brush.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide means rendering possible convenient holding and guiding of the brush by the fingers of a hand of a person and the adjustability of the head of the brush substantially without removing the fingers from the handle of the brush.

Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of means bringing about a braking eflect between the head of the brush and the handle whereby the head may be substantially firmly held in predetermined position.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide means permitting the manufacture of hand operated brushes of the aforesaid type in a very economical and inexpensive manner, increasing the utility of such brushes and making the latter accessible to a great number of various fields of industry.

The above and other objects and features will become apparent from the following detailed description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the brush made in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the head of the brush and the handle thereof forming an angle with each other;

Fig. 3 shows the brush of Fig. 1 with a part of the handle and head of the brush in substantially parallel relation to each other;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken through the head of the brush and shown on an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 5 illustrates, in perspective and in exploded view, elements employed for effectuating adjustability of the head relative to the handle of the brush.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is shown in Fig. 1 a brush having a head 11 and a handle 12 terminating in an extension 13. The head 11 of the brush carries in any suitable manner and includes partly the bristles 14 of the brush. Between the head 11 and handle part 12 is provided a pivotal connection 15 which consists of a pivot pin 16 and outer disks 17, 18 fitted within a suitable slot 19 provided in head 11.

Intermediate said disks 17 and 18, there is located a toothed element 20 connected to or forming an integral part of handle 12, as will be later explained. Handle 12 nited States Patent "O,

, 2,750,616 Patented June 19, 1956 terminates in a flattened finger rest 21. Head 11 is further provided with a central extension slot 22 extending from slot 19. Handle 12 is pivotally connected at 23 to the handle extension 13, whereby the handle part 13 with its pointed end 13a may be used in a compass-like manner, as seen in Fig. 3, in which the head 11 is swung about the pivot connection 15 substantially parallel to the handle part 13. Thus, it may be readily realized that the brush may be employed to outline a circular or similar configuration, if desired.

The handle 12 and handle part 13 may be made from any suitable material such as wood, plastic or metal, whereas the forward end, including finger rest 21 and toothed element 20, are preferably made from metal or similar material adapted to mesh with the toothed disk elements 17 and 18 facing the adjacent grooved or toothed surfaces 20a, 20b of said toothed element 20.

As can be seen from Fig. 5, these elements 17, 18 have a grooved or tooth-shaped surface 17a and 18a, whereas the opposite surface is provided with spurs or projections 17b, 18b to facilitate the fixation and connection of the disk elements 17 and 18 with the side walls defining slot 19 in brush head 11, as can be more clearly visualized from Fig. 4. Disk elements 17 and 18 are further provided with central openings 24, 25, whereas toothed element 20 has the central opening 26 through which pin 16 extends, as more clearly shown in Fig. 4.

As seen in Figs. 3 and 4, the finger rest 21 extending immediately behind head 11 is substantially grooved to conform to the tip of a finger of a hand to facilitate guidance of the brush when using the same.

The operation of the brush may be readily understood from the aforesaid disclosure. When changing the position of the handle 12 relative to the head 11, all that has to be done is to move handle 12 from the position seen in Fig. 1 to the position illustrated in Fig. 2, whereby toothed element 20 with its toothed faces 20a and 20b frictionally engages the adjacent disk surfaces 17a and 18a so that the brush head 11 is held in substantially firm but nevertheless adjustable position.

Pivot pin 16 connects disks 17 and 18 as well as the intermediate toothed element 20 with the brush head 11 in such manner that sufficient friction is always maintained between elements 17, 18 and 20. Extension slot 22 affords a certain elastic movement between toothed element 20 and the adjacent surface of disk element 17 and 18, as may be well understood.

The brush structure, as hereinabove explained, may be used for various purposes and may be applied to other shapes of brushes having a handle and a bristle carrying head. Due to the adjustability of the head relative to the handle, the bristles and the paint carried by them may be readily applied to generally inaccessible locations and corners of articles to be painted or otherwise treated. The brush structure made in accordance with the invention is suitable for manicuring and similar applications.

It is well understood that the adjustment means 17, 18 and 20 hereinabove indicated to bring about angular and pivotal movement of the finger rest and handle relative to the head of the brush, may be carried out in any other desirable manner, it being preferred, however, to use such adjustment means which will not project from and beyond the head of the brush, so that the latter does not interfere with the opening of a bottle or can into which the brush 14 is to be dipped or inserted. The articulation 23 may also be differently carried out, as shown in Fig. 1, if desired.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided, in accordance with the invention, a brush structure provided with a brush head having bristles therein, a handle extending from the brush head, and connecting means intermediate said brush head and said handle affording adjustrnent of the latter relative to said brush head, means being further provided and shaped for engagement with the finger of a hand of an operator and positioned adjacent said connecting means.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and herein described, it will be understood that the same is capable of modifications without departure from the general scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

In a brush structure having a handle; an elongated holder member provided with a sleeve carrying a brush therein and further provided with a fork-shaped portion at an end opposite said brush, said fork-shaped portion having opposite inner Walls, said handle being provided at one end with an extension and with a substantially flat finger rest disposed directly adjacent and rearwardly of said extension, said extension having opposite outer surfaces provided with teeth, said opposite inner walls of said fork-shaped portion being provided with teeth engaging with the teeth of said extension, a pivot pin passing through said fork-shaped portion with said inner Walls and through said extension, whereby said holder member with said brush may be adjustably rotated about said pivot pin from an aligned position of said finger rest of said handle with said sleeve and said brush to an angular position thereto, while one finger of the hand of a person engages said finger rest and the other fingers of the same hand may actuate said elongated holder member without removing said hand from said handle, and means pivoted to the other end of said handle and provided With a substantially pointed end for application to a support and for facilitating use of said brush in a compass-like manner.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 957,238 Murphy May 10, 1910 1,544,234 Janes June 30, 1925 1,617,329 Glover Feb. 15, 1927 1,899,090 Goal-d Feb. 28, 1933 2,263,885 MeGawley Nov. 25, 1941 2,395,245 Booharin Feb. 19, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS 132,946 Great Britain Dec. 2, 1916 

